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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume
7, Issue 2, Article 8 (Dec., 2006) Tin-Lam TOH A survey on the teaching of relative velocity and
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5. Survey on Teaching of Relative Velocity
It was generally felt among the teachers that the current textbooks do not provide sufficient related materials on relative velocity. The teachers prepare their own numerical examples for use in the classrooms. These self-prepared examples are modifications of the existing pool of O-Level questions and the similar questions used by other schools for their own internal tests and examinations.
5.2.
Use
of Scale Drawing in Solving Problems involving Relative Velocity
From the
response, the participants mentioned that the teachers were aware that scale
drawing is allowed for examination purposes. However, the teachers might
not have highlighted the use of scale drawing as one alternative approach to
solving problems on relative velocity. Consequently, according to two of the
participants who were the heads of the mathematics departments of their schools,
practically no students used scale drawing in their school tests and
examinations.
5.3. Use of Information Technology (IT)
Two teachers responded that since the main problem of relative velocity is more “back to basics”. When probed further into the definition of “back to basics”, one participant replied she means “to be able to solve the typical examination type problems”. In this respect, the use of information technology (IT), which is more of illustrating the relative velocity concepts, is not too crucial compared to solving examination type problems.
